skimmer and air tube outside to raise PH

[Reef257]

Hi all
Hope everyone is doing good

I planned for trying this out by running the air tube from the skimmer to outside . Since my house small and packed .

Need some advise how to tune the skimmer. Should I Leave the air lever fully open .or close it a bit .

Anyone try this out
Thank you

 

[P-Dub]

Works GREAT for me. As far as tuning the skimmer, just tune to get the same performance you get now. Make certain the tube is large enough to not restrict the airflow for the length of the run.
Here is a shot of what happens to my pH when my skimmer shuts down due to the skimmate collection container being full.

 

[Pistondog]

Hi all
Hope everyone is doing good

I planned for trying this out by running the air tube from the skimmer to outside . Since my house small and packed .

Need some advise how to tune the skimmer. Should I Leave the air lever fully open .or close it a bit .

Anyone try this out
Thank you

Great way to raise ph. I ran 1/2 pvc to within 5 feet, 10 foot total run.
Shoot for the same results now, as pdub said

 

[HuduVudu]

Because of this issue I bought a CO2 meter for the house. You would be shocked at the build up in your home. IMO it is better to deal with the house issue than to band aid the tank issue.

One thing to think about too is things that might get in your line over time usually of the creepy crawly variety. Also if the air pulled in from the outside has no way to get back out of the house then that can be an issue.

 

[Pistondog]

Because of this issue I bought a CO2 meter for the house. You would be shocked at the build up in your home. IMO it is better to deal with the house issue than to band aid the tank issue.

One thing to think about too is things that might get in your line over time usually of the creepy crawly variety. Also if the air pulled in from the outside has no way to get back out of the house then that can be an issue.

Put screen over the outside vent for no critters, or small foam insert for sound abatement.
How do you lower co2 in fhe house?
Open a window, use an erv? Good ideas, but more money for energy than running the tube outside.
I do agree lowering co2 in the house is good. I have a meter too and scary how high co2 gets with windows closed.

 

[P-Dub]

Because of this issue I bought a CO2 meter for the house. You would be shocked at the build up in your home. IMO it is better to deal with the house issue than to band aid the tank issue.

One thing to think about too is things that might get in your line over time usually of the creepy crawly variety. Also if the air pulled in from the outside has no way to get back out of the house then that can be an issue.

I disagree that running air from the outside is a band-aid solution. It is a solid way to increase your pH with zero negative consequences. The only other additional caveat needing mention is to make certain that where you pull air from is clean and not possibly polluted by exhaust, pesticides, herbicides, or the like and yes, creepy crawlies but that is easily remedied by screen material over the inlet. It is true that the CO2 levels in a home are shockingly high. If you can, draw air from the exterior or modify the skimmer to be recirculating with a co2 scrubber in-line. Drawn air from the exterior is not an issue finding its way out. Homes are pretty tight these days but the volume of air pulled in can find its way out no problem.

 

[HuduVudu]

Put screen over the outside vent for no critters, or small foam insert for sound abatement.
How do you lower co2 in fhe house?
Open a window, use an erv? Good ideas, but more money for energy than running the tube outside.
I do agree lowering co2 in the house is good. I have a meter too and scary how high co2 gets with windows closed.

This is a no joke problem for me because I can't breathe outside air without a filter because of asthma.

Screen is good. That you used PVC is good. I would have a maintence schedule to check every occasionally that all is clear.

I am not sure how your house works for ventalation but you can use this skimmer input as the driver, and maybe crack a window, or create an out. We were near the hurricane that rolled through when it did my CO2 held at 900 all day, which was an anomoly for sure. I don't know why but I think it was the pressure differential that caused enough flow throw the house to keep the CO2 down. I don't think it takes a lot of flow to keep it under control but I can't say for sure.

I just looked up ERV, that seems viable. I am going to look into that.

 

[HuduVudu]

It is true that the CO2 levels in a home are shockingly high.

This is why I suggested that pulling into the tank from the outside was a band aid. If the house CO2 levels were "normal" then we wouldn't need to do this. I am with you that our animals are important but I think our health is important too. Everyone's situation varies so people need to do what works for them.

Also if the CO2 levels are high what might be the O2 levels. I can really feel it at 1300ppm CO2 and IMO it is because the O2 is heavily depleted. Just my two cents on the whole thing.

 

[P-Dub]

This is why I suggested that pulling into the tank from the outside was a band aid. If the house CO2 levels were "normal" then we wouldn't need to do this. I am with you that our animals are important but I think our health is important too. Everyone's situation varies so people need to do what works for them.

Also if the CO2 levels are high what might be the O2 levels. I can really feel it at 1300ppm CO2 and IMO it is because the O2 is heavily depleted. Just my two cents on the whole thing.

I see what you're getting at but drawing exterior air is still is not a band-aid solution. Additionally, drawing this air through your skimmer can only help the internal home co2 levels and/or increase home o2 levels. Open a window a crack whenever possible. True, each home is different and circumstances are different for everyone but it does not detract from the efficacy of drawing air from the exterior to mitigate low pH levels in your tank.
As well, if you are concerned about outside air contaminants you can draw air through a granulated carbon and floss filter reactor.

 

[HuduVudu]

I see what you're getting at but drawing exterior air is still is not a band-aid solution. Additionally, drawing this air through your skimmer can only help the internal home co2 levels and/or increase home o2 levels.

Absolutely agree.

My thought is why not take the next step and make it a part of a whole house solution. In fact I suggested Piston do just this his input. All good.

This is definitely a tank issue, and at least now people are starting to recognize it and deal with it, that can only bring good things for the hobby.

 

[GillMeister]

And this, my friends, is what a CO2 scrubber dies for your pH. Guess when I hooked it up?

 

[Reef257]

Hi all
Hope everyone doing good
Thanks for all the support .

My tank is new .just finished the cycling stage.im trying to maintain Ph from the beginning. Since I was not able to do it in my old tank and corals died off.

My tank is just 2 feet away from a window and I have covered the windows with mesh .so that I Dont get any crawler in .

Quite hard to tune the skimmer is the tank is new .

What I did was attached a tube from tube skimmer to out side .and open the air flow in the skimmer to fully open. Bot sure if I did anything wrong.